Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
TWO Bulawayo-based miners appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Jesse Kufa on Tuesday facing fraud charges after allegedly using false representations to gain control of a mining company and its assets valued at approximately US$30 million.
John Farley Pietersen (66) and Peter Mark Johnstone (58), both self-employed miners, were granted US$500 bail each and remanded to July 24.
The complainant is DGL Finance Limited, a Mauritius-based company that is the sole lawful shareholder of All Aflame Marketing (Private) Limited through its ownership of 170 ordinary shares.
All Aflame Marketing owns extensive mining claims known as the Royal Family Claims in Filabusi.
The company is represented by its executive director, David Peter Easterbrook, who is a complainant in the matter together with Allan Brent Dolan.
The two men were allegedly unlawfully removed as directors of All Aflame Marketing (Pvt) Ltd.
Prosecutor Mr Lawrence Gangarahwe alleged that Pietersen and Johnstone were applicants in High Court case number HC 5655/25, in which All Aflame Marketing was cited as one of the respondents.
The State alleges that while serving court application documents in the matter, the accused acted in common purpose and deliberately served the papers at 105 Plumtree Road in Bulawayo despite allegedly knowing that the company had relocated its operations to Number 3 Wolverhampton Road, Donnington, Bulawayo.
According to the prosecution, on August 15, 2025, the Sheriff of the High Court issued a return of service indicating that All Aflame Marketing no longer operated from the Plumtree Road address.
Despite this, the accused allegedly represented to the High Court that service had been properly effected.
The State further alleges that the pair were fully aware of the company’s correct address because they had previously served summons in another matter, HCH 3656/25, at the Wolverhampton Road premises.
As a result of the alleged misrepresentation, the matter was treated as unopposed and the High Court subsequently granted a default judgment in favour of the accused.
Prosecutors allege that the order enabled Pietersen and Johnstone to acquire a 57,45 percent shareholding in All Aflame Marketing, prejudicing DGL Finance Limited, Easterbrook and Dolan.
In a second count, the State alleges that the two men later approached the Registrar of Companies armed with a High Court order dated February 5, 2026.
They allegedly misrepresented that Easterbrook and Dolan had resigned as directors on May 13, 2026, and that they were now the lawful owners and directors of All Aflame Marketing.
According to the prosecution, the accused knew that the court order neither stated that the two directors had resigned nor authorised their removal from office.
The Registrar of Companies allegedly acted on the representations and amended company records to reflect Pietersen and Johnstone as directors while removing Easterbrook and Dolan.
The State alleges that the complainants never resigned and that the accused knowingly submitted false information in order to secure control of the company and its mining assets.
As a result of the alleged misrepresentations, DGL Finance Limited, Easterbrook and Dolan suffered prejudice amounting to approximately US$30 million.
